Obama Instructs CDC to Research Links Between Violent Media and Real-Life Violence

The Obama Administration’s response to the shooting of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary is taking shape, with President Obama having announced a series of initiatives this morning.

This included recommending $10 million to be appropriated to the Center for Disease Control in order to research possible links between violent games and violent actions by the nation’s youth.

"I will direct the Centers for Disease Control to go ahead and study the best ways to reduce it, and Congress should fund research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds," said Obama. "We don't benefit from ignorance. We don't benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence."

This recommendation for the CDC does not just single out video games, however:

“Conduct research on the causes and prevention of gun violence, including links between video games, media images, and violence: The President is issuing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control and scientific agencies to conduct research into the causes and prevention of gun violence. It is based on legal analysis that concludes such research is not prohibited by any appropriations language. The CDC will start immediately by assessing existing strategies for preventing gun violence and identifying the most pressing research questions, with the greatest potential public health impact. And the Administration is calling on Congress to provide $10 million for the CDC to conduct further research, including investigating the relationship between video games, media images, and violence.”

In response, the Entertainment Software Association released a statement supporting the move, and pointing out how previous research has shown there is no link. It seems unlikely the ESA would have made such a move if there wasn’t a reasonable amount of confidence this new set of research is likely to arrive at the same conclusion.

The full statement is below:

“ESA appreciates President Obama‟s and Vice President Biden‟s leadership and the thoughtful, comprehensive process of the White House Gun Violence Commission. We concur with President Obama‟s call today for all Americans to do their part, and agree with the report‟s conclusion that „the entertainment and video game industries have a responsibility to give parents tools and choices about the movies and programs their children watch and the games their children play.‟

“The same entertainment is enjoyed across all cultures and nations, but tragic levels of gun violence remain unique to our country. Scientific research and international and domestic crime data all point toward the same conclusion: entertainment does not cause violent behavior in the real world.

“We will embrace a constructive role in the important national dialogue around gun violence in the United States, and continue to collaborate with the Administration and Congress as they examine the facts that inform meaningful solutions.”

It’s unclear how long it would take before we see the results of any such research from the CDC.

The Obama Administration’s response to the shooting of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary is taking shape, with President Obama having announced a series of initiatives this morning.

This included recommending $10 million to be appropriated to the Center for Disease Control in order to research possible links between violent games and violent actions by the nation’s youth.

"I will direct the Centers for Disease Control to go ahead and study the best ways to reduce it, and Congress should fund research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds," said Obama. "We don't benefit from ignorance. We don't benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence."

This recommendation for the CDC does not just single out video games, however:

“Conduct research on the causes and prevention of gun violence, including links between video games, media images, and violence: The President is issuing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control and scientific agencies to conduct research into the causes and prevention of gun violence. It is based on legal analysis that concludes such research is not prohibited by any appropriations language. The CDC will start immediately by assessing existing strategies for preventing gun violence and identifying the most pressing research questions, with the greatest potential public health impact. And the Administration is calling on Congress to provide $10 million for the CDC to conduct further research, including investigating the relationship between video games, media images, and violence.”

In response, the Entertainment Software Association released a statement supporting the move, and pointing out how previous research has shown there is no link. It seems unlikely the ESA would have made such a move if there wasn’t a reasonable amount of confidence this new set of research is likely to arrive at the same conclusion.

The full statement is below:

“ESA appreciates President Obama‟s and Vice President Biden‟s leadership and the thoughtful, comprehensive process of the White House Gun Violence Commission. We concur with President Obama‟s call today for all Americans to do their part, and agree with the report‟s conclusion that „the entertainment and video game industries have a responsibility to give parents tools and choices about the movies and programs their children watch and the games their children play.‟

“The same entertainment is enjoyed across all cultures and nations, but tragic levels of gun violence remain unique to our country. Scientific research and international and domestic crime data all point toward the same conclusion: entertainment does not cause violent behavior in the real world.

“We will embrace a constructive role in the important national dialogue around gun violence in the United States, and continue to collaborate with the Administration and Congress as they examine the facts that inform meaningful solutions.”

It’s unclear how long it would take before we see the results of any such research from the CDC.

And here is where an entire nation gives up their right to free speech with triumphant applause.

Who's giving up free speech and why would you quote that movie?

Hopefully there's no parallel in a massive ignorant crowd, paralyzed by fear and doubt, extinguishing the one thing that has allowed them to come as far as they have. Free speech fucking matters, and anyone who wants to curtail it for 'safety' is a fucking Sith Lord in disguise.

Wait, the guy who ordered more drone killings than any other president before him does that?

You´d think someone like that would have no problem with violence in games.. Well, if that will put his mind at ease. If this whole situation gets out of control and you guys end up with fucked up laws like Germany, I hope you fight it as much as possible.

With all due respect Mr. President: Get government out of my gaming and movies and religion and sexual life. Start fixing the budget and education and fiscal spending of our government and then maybe we can talk.

While it is unfortunate that a study like this is considered necessary, it could potentially be useful for gaming in the long term. A formal study by the CDC with a result reaffirming the reality that violent videogames do not contribute to real world violence could be used by defenders of videogames for years to come. Advocates will be able to point to a study like this and show that the government has already determined that there is no legitimate reason to infringe upon the rights of videogame developers to make the games they desire to make.

Now, in the off chance that the result is not positive, we will all have to consider the results and perhaps reevaluate our understanding of the issue, but for the moment, I see little chance of a study like this not concluding what many others have. That videogames simply do not contribute to real world violence. And if the study can be yet another affirming that, this could actually end up being good for gamers in our continued struggles against the undue restriction of videogames.

I love the morning news program Morning Joe on MSNBC but this morning's discussion of violent video games was fucked up. Panel was quoting this study which suggested that there is not only a link, but that the violence in these games is cause for arousal. It boiled down to a bunch of high-paid journalists citing this and the ever-nebulous "other studies" as if it was the consensus of the land. That the ESA is getting out ahead of this is great. I'd really like to see those studies showing no correlation more broadly publicized.

Wait, the guy who ordered more drone killings than any other president before him does that?

You´d think someone like that would have no problem with violence in games.. Well, if that will put his mind at ease. If this whole situation gets out of control and you guys end up with fucked up laws like Germany, I hope you fight it as much as possible.

For now: Nanny state: 1 - Any thinking individual: 0

Exactly. Isn't a drone attack the truest and realest definition of a "violent videogame?"

I'm a little bit ashamed that IGN put Crecente, Jim Sterling, and Leigh Alexander amongst the "20 of the top editors, writers, and critics in America". Erik Kain deserves to be amongst that dialogue more than the three hacks mentioned.

Wait, the guy who ordered more drone killings than any other president before him does that?

You´d think someone like that would have no problem with violence in games.. Well, if that will put his mind at ease. If this whole situation gets out of control and you guys end up with fucked up laws like Germany, I hope you fight it as much as possible.

For now: Nanny state: 1 - Any thinking individual: 0

Not that I know all that much about U.S. history, but I don't remember George Washington or Abe Lincoln having the opportunity to use drone strikes. It's just the world changing and adapting new technologies. If the U.S had drone strikes available during WWII, would you suggest not using them? Disagree with the war, not the weapon.

I'm sure Obama has also used twitter more than any other president as well.

@Brodehouse: lol again who's giving up free speech? A study is a being done. No one is even saying that if the study gives positive results than they would even do anything. They would need to replicate such results even more. I would be surprised if that were possible considering the research so far, but there is nothing wrong with fine tuning around knowledge. Being sure about something. This brings up a scary thought too. What if violent video games DO cause people of a certain age to act violent? I don't believe this, but what if it was conclusive? Would you still scream free speech? We are talking about children here and we do curtail certain rights for them.

What a waste of 10 million. I guess at the very least it will create some bullshit jobs in academia that may stimulate a bit of the economy.

No, you're right. We as a society know the impact of everything on everything.

My point is they already have studied it and there are current studies in progress. Obama just did this to try to shut up the NRA's use of scapegoating video games. There is nothing wrong with trying to appease everyone and 10 million really isn't that much money. It's just eye rolling bullshit politics.

@DrLove: No it wont. If it comes out showing any link no mater how small every media organisation will go mad about killer video games if it doesn't it will be barely reported and the idiots who spout that video games cause violence wont listen anyway.

Question: if we as "gamers" or whatever are so sure that there's no link between violence in real life and violence in video games, why are we so afraid of an official study?

Because there's already been so many studies. They all say the same thing: "Sure video games can cause some violent tendencies but its not enough evidence to show a causal link"

Plus, studies are bullshit. Especially when conducted by government offices. Its so easy to omit facts or twist them to make it go your way. Plus, the public has no interest in reading the actual findings, so they will just read the news reports that saty "oh there may be a link between violent media and violence in children" without understanding all the caveats.

The same people who think the earth is four thousand years old are the ones appointed to do this study, and they are the same people who cause these messes. Obviously the real answer to this is to pray to aliens and ban all media containing fire arms.

Because of course there is. Because if I'm a violent fuck who wants to kill people, why wouldn't I involve myself in media that involves killing people? In the same way if that I'm the type of person who kidnaps babies, I'm probably watching a lot of programming about parenting and babies. Neither justifies censorship.

As for studies that talk about desensitization or 'proper response' to violence, I find those studies to be intrinsically flawed and a little short-sighted. You become desensitized to anything upon experience, especially consecutive experience. What is 'proper emotional affect' as pertains violence? Hysteria? Fear? Detachment? Anger? There's a reason why most in the scientific communities look at the 'social sciences' with ... well, quotation marks.

It's a conversation worth having and investigating. The last time this research was done, we weren't staring into the enemies eyes while slitting their throats in high definition. Anything to help stop the senseless gun shootings in America.